Give a leg up
Editorially verified for the Oct 12, 2026
50 Down
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Clue explainedFact checked
To give someone a leg up is to help them advance or get started; a boost provides that assistance. The expression also has a literal image: someone can offer a bent knee or cupped hands to help another person climb over an obstacle.
- Clue type:
- Phrase or idiom
NYT Crossword
This clue's Monday, October 12, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Give a leg up” in the New York Times crossword is BOOST — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 50-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.
“Give a leg up” answer
BOOST (5 letters)
Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is BOOST.
What does BOOST mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of BOOST is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(verb)
- help or encourage (something) to increase or improve
- push from below
- steal (something)
When else has “Give a leg up” appeared?
New York Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.
October 12, 2026 (most recent) → BOOST. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Give a leg up”?
The answer is BOOST, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Give a leg up”?
5 letters: BOOST.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the New York Times crossword on October 12, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 50-Down.
Can “Give a leg up” have a different answer?
Yes — New York Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.
Where can I find the rest of this day's NYT Crossword answers?
The full grid for October 12, 2026 is on the NYT Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.
New York Times Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.
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